A transaction apparatus (10) includes a multifunction card (12) and a portable terminal (14). The multifunction card includes a programmable memory (18) and a magnetic stripe (16) thereon. The programmable memory on the card is used to store indicia corresponding to account data which is input to the memory by reading with the terminal magnetic stripe data from a plurality of conventional magnetic stripe cards. The programmable memory further includes data representative of cash value as well as instructions, prompt messages and icons presented in conducting transactions. A user is enabled to operate the apparatus to select one of the accounts stored in memory, and to write account data corresponding to the selected account to the magnetic stripe of the card. The user is also enabled to use the apparatus to enter visible indicia such as bar codes and to selectively reproduce the bar codes on the display of the apparatus. The apparatus is also selectively operative to transfer funds between accounts of the user and data representative of cash value stored on the card.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. Apparatus comprising: a card including a programmable memory and a magnetic stripe supported thereon, wherein the memory includes account data corresponding to a plurality of accounts; a portable terminal releasibly engageable with the card, the terminal including a memory reading device operative to read the account data from the memory, the portable terminal further including an input device operative to select data from the memory corresponding to one of the plurality of accounts, and a magnetic writing device operative to write indicia corresponding to the selected account data on the magnetic stripe of the card.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the portable terminal further includes an object reading device selectively operative to read indicia from an object adjacent to the terminal, and a memory writing device, wherein the memory writing device is operative to write data corresponding to indicia read from the object in the card memory.
3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the object reading device includes a magnetic stripe reader.
4. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the object reading device includes a bar code reader.
5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the portable terminal includes a display device, and wherein the card memory includes stored data corresponding to at least one bar code read by the bar code reader, and wherein the display is operative responsive to the input device to reproduce on the display the bar code corresponding to the bar code stored in memory.
6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the card memory includes data corresponding to a plurality of bar codes, and wherein the input device of the terminal is operative to select data corresponding to one of the stored plurality of bar codes, and wherein the display is operative responsive to inputs to the input device to reproduce the selected bar code on the display.
7. The apparatus according to claim 5 and further comprising a scanner device, wherein the scanner device is operative to read the plurality of bar codes from a plurality of objects, and wherein the terminal is operative responsive to the input device to selectively reproduce the bar codes on the display.
8. The apparatus according to claim 2 where in the portable terminal includes a designator input device, the designator input device selectively operative to input an object designator, and wherein the object writing device is operative to write data corresponding to both the object designator and the indicia in the card memory.
9. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the data corresponding to the object designator and the object indicia are stored in correlated relation in the card memory.
10. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the memory includes data corresponding to an access code, and wherein the terminal is operative responsive to input of the access code through the input device to enable the memory writing device to write data corresponding to the indicia read from the object to the card memory.
11. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the writing device is operative responsive to the input device to selectively delete account data from the card memory.
12. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the portable terminal includes a magnetic erasing device, wherein the magnetic erasing device is selectively operative to erase indicia on the magnetic stripe of the card.
13. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the card memory includes data corresponding to an access code, and wherein the access code is enabled to be input through the input device of the terminal, and wherein the terminal is operative responsive to the input of the access code to enable the memory reading device to read the account data.
14. The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the access code includes biometric data and the input device includes a biometric reader device.
15. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the card memory further includes data representative of a monetary value, and wherein the memory reading device of the terminal is operative to read the value data and the memory writing device is operative to write the value data to the memory, and further comprising a communications device in operative connection with the terminal, and wherein the input device is selectively operative to select data corresponding to a designated one of said accounts, and wherein the communications device is operative to relay messages operative to deduct an amount of funds from the designated one account and the writing device is operative responsive to the messages to write data to the memory representative of a first new value, the first new value corresponding to the sum of the value and the amount.
16. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the terminal is further operative responsive to the input device to select a designated second account, and wherein the communications device is operative to relay messages operative to add a second amount of funds to the second account and the writing device is operative responsive to the messages to write data representative of a second new value to the memory, wherein the second new value corresponds to the first new value reduced by the second amount.
17. The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the card memory further includes data representative of an address, wherein the reading device of the terminal is operative to read the address and the terminal is operative to cause the communications device to communicate to a location corresponding to such address.
18. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the terminal further includes a processor in operative connection with the memory reading device, the magnetic writing device and the input device, and wherein the memory of the card includes instructions, and wherein the memory reading device is operative to read the instructions from the card responsive to the input device, and wherein the processor is operative responsive to the memory reading device reading the instructions to operate the magnetic writing device to write the indicia corresponding to the selected account on the magnetic stripe of the card.
19. The apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the terminal includes a display in operative connection with the processor, and wherein the instructions on the card include data representative of at least one prompt message adapted to instruct a user in operation of the terminal, and wherein the processor is operative responsive to the input device to cause the display to reproduce the prompt message.
20. The apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the stored data in memory includes data representative of icons, wherein the icons are reproduced with the prompt messages on the display.
21. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the portable terminal includes a display device, and wherein the card memory includes stored data corresponding to at least one signature, and wherein the display is operative responsive to the input device to reproduce on the display the signature corresponding to the signature stored in memory.
22. The apparatus according to claim 1 and further comprising a solar energized power source in operative connection with the terminal device.
23. A method comprising the steps of: storing information corresponding to a plurality of accounts in a memory supported on a card; selecting with an input device on a portable terminal operatively engaged with the card memory, one of the accounts; and writing with the terminal, indicia corresponding to the one selected account onto a magnetic stripe supported on the card.
24. The method according to claim 23 and prior to the writing step further comprising the step of erasing a prior indicia recorded on the magnetic stripe of the card with an erasing device.
25. The method according to claim 23 wherein the storing step comprises: reading indicia from a magnetic stripe of an object by moving the object relative to a reading device on the terminal; and further writing data corresponding to the indicia read from the object to the memory on the card with a memory writing device on the terminal.
26. The method according to claim 25 wherein the further writing step further comprises entering a designator with an input device on the terminal, whereby the designator corresponds to the read object, wherein in the further writing step data corresponding to the designator is written to the memory on the card.
27. The method according to claim 23 and further comprising: reading with a bar code reader operatively connected to the terminal, a bar code on an object; further writing to the memory on the card with a writing device data corresponding to the bar code read from the object; and displaying a reproduction of the read bar code on a display of the terminal responsive to an input to the input device.
28. The method according to claim 27 and further comprising the step of scanning the displayed reproduction of the bar code from the display with a scanning device.
29. The method according to claim 27 and prior to the further writing step, further comprising the step of inputting with the input device on the terminal a designator, whereby the designator corresponds to the read bar code, wherein in the further writing step the data written to the memory includes data representative of the designator, and prior to the displaying step further comprising the step of selecting with the input device data corresponding to the designator, wherein in the displaying step the bar code corresponding to the designator is displayed.
30. The method according to claim 23 wherein the storing step further includes storing data representative of an access code in the card memory, and prior to the selecting step further comprising the steps of inputting with the input device an input code data, and comparing the input code data to the access code, wherein the selecting step is not executed when the input code data and the access code do not have a predetermined relationship.
31. The method according to claim 23 and further comprising: reading a written signature with a reading device operatively connected to the terminal; further writing to the memory on the card with a writing device data corresponding to the written signature; and displaying a reproduction of the written signature on a display of the terminal responsive to an input to the input device.
32. A method comprising the steps of: storing information corresponding to at least one account and at least one value amount on a programmable memory supported on a card; selecting with an input device on a portable terminal, data corresponding to an account; inputting with the input device a transfer amount to be transferred between the account and the value amount on the card; communicating messages through a communications device operatively connected with the terminal, the messages being operative to either deduct or add the transfer amount from or to the account; and modifying the value amount with the terminal device responsive to the messages to either add the transfer amount to the value amount when the transfer amount was deducted from the account, or to deduct the transfer amount from the value amount when the transfer amount was added to the account.
33. The method according to claim 32 wherein the storing step includes storing data representative of at least one address, wherein in the communicating step the communications device communicates messages to a location corresponding to the address.
34. The method according to claim 32 wherein the storing step includes reading account indicia from a magnetic stripe of a card with a terminal device, and storing data corresponding to the account indicia in the memory on the card.
35. The method according to claim 32 and prior to the inputting step further comprising the step of designating with the input device whether the transfer amount is to be deducted from or added to the account, and respectively added to or deducted from the value amount, wherein the communicating and modifying steps are carried out to transfer the transfer amount in accordance with the input to the input device in the designating step.
36. The method according to claim 32 wherein the storing step further includes storing programmed instructions in the card memory, wherein the instructions are executed in the communicating step by the terminal device.
37. The method according to claim 32 and further comprising, prior to the inputting step, the steps of: designating a function type with the input device; and responsive to the input of the function type in the designating step, foregoing the inputting, communicating and modifying steps, and instead further comprising the step of writing magnetic indicia on a magnetic stripe supported on the card with a writing device supported on the terminal, the magnetic indicia corresponding to the selected account.
38. The method according to claim 32 wherein the communicating step further includes communicating wireless messages through the communications device.
39. A method comprising the steps of: storing information corresponding to a plurality of accounts on a programmable memory supported on a card; selecting through an input device on a portable terminal operatively engaged with the card memory, one of the accounts; and communicating wireless messages through a communications device operatively connected with the terminal, the wireless messages being operative to conduct a transaction with the selected account.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
May 11, 1998
November 13, 2001
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